02 Liberty 3.7L Sport Issues (My first post!)

[wchain]

Hi Gang,
I'm glad I found this board! I'm having some problems with my girlfriend's 02 Liberty Sport, 3.7L and 53K.

Last night, she parked the Jeep, everything was fine. This morning, she calls and says the thing would turn over and start, but wouldn't stay running unless she kept her foot on the gas. Rather than make her late for work, I picked her up and took her in.

I went and looked at it at lunchtime today. If you keep your foot on the gas between 1500-2000 for about 3-5 minutes, till the truck is warm, it will stay running. Otherwise, it just dies.

The truck has always run 'rough' I thought but apparently she's running on the original plugs, so I'm going to change those out. I picked up some Champion Copper Plugs (CHP344) and an Air Filter and some Throttle body cleaner.

She called the dealer, since it has the 7/70 Warranty. The service advisor told her that she probably needed a "Induction Service" for $149.99 and a "Fuel Injection Service" for $99.99. I see neither one of those items in the Maintenance book, and I change her Air Filter every 15K, and we use only Chevron Gasoline, so I see no reason why these 'services' need to be performed. I'm not a mechanic, but I do perform most of the maintenance and repairs to our cars, and keep the reciepts to prove that we did indeed do the maintenance.

Anyone else experienced this with their V6 KJs?

Thanks in advance for your help!
=D>

 

[sprsonic]

replace the battery, bad cell. seen it a hundred times, no tune-up or induction service

 

[2003KJ]

well i'd also have your alternator tested just incase, since thats what charges the battery.

But based on the number of failed batteries i'm seeing lately around here, i wouldn't doubt that that is the problem.

 

[Marlon_JB2]

I'm surprised a battery would cause THAT kind of problem, but hey, who knows?

I'm not doubting anyone.

Oh, btw... the 3.7L naturally is a rough engine.

 

[Eddo]

53K on the stock plug can very well be the problem.

My plugs where so worn at 25K that I was suprized it was still running.

 

[jfortier777]

replace the battery, bad cell. seen it a hundred times, no tune-up or induction service

If he says thats it, thats it.

Just pop off your terminals and try a different battery, it should be incredibly simple to test.
Hell, you dont even have to install a new battery to check it, just use jumper cables to the terminals. (THICK ones, and take them off the old one first)

 

[wchain]

WOW! Thanks so much for all the replies so quickly! FUnny you should mention, but the truck was dead today when I went over to look at it again tonight.

So Im planning on geting another one tomorrow as well.

LOoks like the #6 plug is going to be a PITA because of the resevoir there.

Anyway I'll do the maintenance and then report back to y'all!
Thanks a bunch!

 

[2003KJ]

Actually, if you have a good extension, you dont even have to remove the resevoir to get the plug out. I didn't when I did a tune up on mine.

I'm surprised a battery would cause THAT kind of problem, but hey, who knows?

I've seen it before too. And the having to keep your foot on the pedal to keep it running is probably from a poor start of the engine, and once it gets going enough for the alertnator to keep it running all is well again, untill you shut it off and have to repeat the cycle all over again.

 

[Jaysus]

It's the battery - same exact thing happend to me... on my honeymoon... on a Sunday... in the middle of nowhere. Good times.

 

[Kyle's Jeep]

I agree with them all - Change the BATTERY

 

[pssbarry]

It sounds like the battery to me too. Had the exact same problem. Ran fine on the way to work one morning, went to leave that night and it kept dying.Had to keep the engine revved to prevent it from dying. Toook it straight to the dealer had the battery replaced and that fixed the problem.

 

[Cableguy]

Yep. My 02's battery just took a crap yesterday morning. Drove it home from work just fine and dandy, parked it. Came back out not 20 minutes later to go to the dentists and nothing. I mean nothing. Got out the multimeter and had precisely .04 volts on the damm thing.

$80, and one Die-Hard later, she runs like a champ again.


(Trust me, i wanted an optima, but nobody in this bass-ackwards town carries them. ](*,) )

 

[bohica-kj]

Any one running an Optima? http://www.quadratec.com/products/17003_01.htm I here those are really good battery's for jeeps. Kinda pricey though.

 

[Marlon_JB2]

I've got a Red Top in the Jeep. Offers great cranking performance! \/

 

[Mini Sumo]

I've been having similar problems with my '02. It started with the check engine light ... cyclinders 1 & 3 misfire. So I changed all the plugs, still had the problem .. then started changing coil packs .. all but 2 .. still have the problem .. picked up a test light to check the spark in the coil packs and the old ones where still good .. so I spent money for new coil packs I really didn't need ?? So I've been reading about the fuel filter deal, the possible fuel pump ??? Fuel injectors going bad ?? So could this possible be the battery ???

The jeep is always hard to start in the morning .. I can let it run for a few minutes and shut it off and start it again and it starts right up. Also at times when I hit 3,000rpm's the jeep starts to stutter and feels like it wants to shut down .. if I turn it off and turn it right back on (I put it in "N" while I'm moving) It doesn't happen then ?? it drives somewhat normal .. it does idle very low

Any thoughts ???

Mini Sumo Was here

 

[sprsonic]

I've been having similar problems with my '02. It started with the check engine light ... cyclinders 1 & 3 misfire. So I changed all the plugs, still had the problem .. then started changing coil packs .. all but 2 .. still have the problem .. picked up a test light to check the spark in the coil packs and the old ones where still good .. so I spent money for new coil packs I really didn't need ?? So I've been reading about the fuel filter deal, the possible fuel pump ??? Fuel injectors going bad ?? So could this possible be the battery ???

The jeep is always hard to start in the morning .. I can let it run for a few minutes and shut it off and start it again and it starts right up. Also at times when I hit 3,000rpm's the jeep starts to stutter and feels like it wants to shut down .. if I turn it off and turn it right back on (I put it in "N" while I'm moving) It doesn't happen then ?? it drives somewhat normal .. it does idle very low

Any thoughts ???

Mini Sumo Was here

weak valve springs or carbon build up on valves causing misfires

 

[JeepJeepster]

I've been having similar problems with my '02. It started with the check engine light ... cyclinders 1 & 3 misfire. So I changed all the plugs, still had the problem .. then started changing coil packs .. all but 2 .. still have the problem .. picked up a test light to check the spark in the coil packs and the old ones where still good .. so I spent money for new coil packs I really didn't need ?? So I've been reading about the fuel filter deal, the possible fuel pump ??? Fuel injectors going bad ?? So could this possible be the battery ???

The jeep is always hard to start in the morning .. I can let it run for a few minutes and shut it off and start it again and it starts right up. Also at times when I hit 3,000rpm's the jeep starts to stutter and feels like it wants to shut down .. if I turn it off and turn it right back on (I put it in "N" while I'm moving) It doesn't happen then ?? it drives somewhat normal .. it does idle very low

Any thoughts ???

Mini Sumo Was here

weak valve springs or carbon build up on valves causing misfires

Thats what Ive been hearing. They must replace the valve springs when this happens. [-(

 

[Mini Sumo]

Is this an easy job for a backyard mechanic ? What kind of time frame to complete the job ???

Mini Sumo Was here